Syriac Christians and Pink

[PrayForMeStJude]

What is the usual usage of the color pink in the vestments of Syriac Christian clergy?

In pictures of various Syriac Churches, I see very bright pink used. Is is a liturgical color for a certain feast? Is there some tradition behind its use? Or is it just a random coincidence that so many vestments seem to have pink in them?

Syriac Orthodox:
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/HolyqurbonoSehion.jpg/800px-HolyqurbonoSehion.jpg

manjinikkaradayara.org/photos/HolyQurbono_Manjinikkara.jpg

saintgregorios.org/PARUMALA/MalankaraMetopolitansJul06.jpg

stmaryschurchwesleychapel.com/Misc_Images/stmaryschurchwesleychapel.com_misc_image460.JPG

Syro-Malankara Catholic:
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/13/Leonardosandri.jpg

 

[Sir_Anthony]

it could just be a substitute for red, I know colors mean different things in different culture, for instance in vietnamese white is a mourning color, so the white vestments are tinge to a very faint lavander so it doesn’t offend the cultural sensitibilities.

 

[malphono]

The Oriental and Eastern Churches in general have 2 liturgical “colors”: light and dark. We do not have prescribed colors in the same way that the Latin Church does.

As a rule, in the Syriac Churches in particular, which actual color is used is dictated not by law or specific rubric, but rather by the particular feast, or season, or local custom, etc. I believe the same holds true for other Oriental and Eastern disciplines as well.

For example, blue is often used for Commemorations of the Mother of God. Rose is sometimes also be used for feasts of the Mother of God since she is often referred to as “Mystical Rose” (which is also found in the Latin Rite Litany of the BVM). Rose can also be used for other commemorations. Personally, I have never seen (or heard of) a Syriac vestment in shocking pink, although I’m sure they do exist. (I have, on the other hand, seen a very loud bright green vestment with hideous pink roses sprawling all over it, but that’s just a matter of bad taste on someone’s part and has absolutely nothing to do with a prescribed color. Same would be true for gaudy pink as a base color: just plain old bad taste. I could on with descriptions of other ugly vestments, but I think the point is made.)

For other colors, red is often used for feasts of martyrs since it is the color of blood (which is essentially the same logic that the Latin Church uses). Feasts of the Lord are normally white or gold. I’ve also heard of yellow being used. For Great Lent, violet is customary but, while not at all common, grey is not unknown either.

 

[Diak]

The Ethiopians also use a shade of pink; I believe it is a variation of rose or red.

 

[Volodymyr_988]

For the most part, I think those vestments and churches were absolutely gorgeous!